1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to headsets for phones, and more specifically, to a phone handset having a speaker and a microphone which are connected to form a connected unit, wherein the connected unit is detachable from the handset to form a headset.
2. Description of Related Art
With the proliferation of cordless phones and in particular, mobile phones, it is well-known that having to hold a phone handset while attempting to engage in other activities (i.e., driving) is a hazard. Indeed, in some locales, it is illegal to hold a mobile phone handset while driving.
As a result, numerous types of hands-free mobile phone devices and systems have been devised as remedies. Conventional systems typically involve a speaker-phone feature and/or a separate headset which can be plugged into a jack on the mobile phone. These systems have drawbacks however, including a lack of conversation privacy when using a speaker-phone feature. Further, a user who wishes to take advantage of a headset feature is disadvantaged by the inconvenience of having to carry around a separate headset with the mobile phone at all times.
In the latter case, this inconvenience is further compounded when a user has to switch between the phone handset and the separate headset during a telephone conversation. Typically, when a conventional separate headset is plugged into a phone handset for use, the speaker and microphone of the handset are de-activated. Thus, for a user to switch between handset and hands-free modes entails interrupting the conversation, taking the phone away from the ear, plugging the headset into the phone, placing the headset onto the head, and then properly affixing the earpiece while adjusting the microphone for correct placement.
Although a number of systems have been developed to try to remedy the inconvenience of having to carry a separate headset, such systems still disclose the use of a headset having a separate speaker and separate microphone and thus require an interruption in the user's conversation to attach the separate earpiece/microphone when switching to the separate headset. Thus, the prior art has failed to provide a truly convenient integrated system for hands-free phone operation.
Accordingly, an efficient and effective system and method for providing convenient hands-free operation of a phone, and in particular, without causing interruption in a user's conversation when alternating between a handset mode and a hands-free mode, is highly desirable.